NDP STATEMENT ON WORLD FOOD DAY

Official Opposition Agriculture critic Malcolm Allen (Welland) made the following statement on World Food Day:

“Ensuring that Canadians have healthy, affordable food is a national priority. Close to 850,000 Canadians visit a food bank every month and over 1 million children in Canada experience food insecurity.

Without a comprehensive food policy, Canada lags behind our peers on the world stage. New Democrats are providing the federal leadership that connects Canadians from farm to fork.

We understand that food matters. This is why we released our vision for a pan-Canadian food strategy that connects food security, health, agriculture and the environment. Working with the provinces and territories, we laid out a ten-point plan to strengthen our food system. This includes improving incomes so that every family can afford a healthy meal; implementing a whole of government approach to reduce reliance on food banks; strengthening our food safety system; protecting children from food advertising; and ensuring that local agriculture is sustainable for generations to come.

The theme of this year’s World Food Day is Feeding the world, caring for the earth, emphasizing that we can feed the world while ensuring that we respect the environment. By working together to raise awareness around the issues at the root of poverty and hunger, we can ensure that everyone eats well and our food system is stronger for the generations that follow us. ”